THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100476
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
During morning announcements on a day this week, second-grader Anton Muraviov offered his definition of ``kindness'' to fellow students at Willard Model Elementary School.
``I think kindness means being considerate to people, nature and things,'' said Anton, who appeared on television screens in every classroom via the school's closed-circuit TV system. Then he told how he had been kind recently: He donated money to a nonprofit group that works on children's issues.
These days, students at Willard are being taught more than reading and arithmetic: They're also learning what it means to be a good person.
Kindness is one of dozens of appealing character traits they've discussed this year through ``words of the week.'' They've explored such civic and personal virtues as respect, honesty and dependability.
Next school year, such lessons in right and wrong behavior may move into all of the city's public school classrooms.
The Norfolk School Board, looking for ways to reduce student misconduct, hopes to introduce a citywide character education program.
After weeks of work, a 33-member Character Education committee composed of Norfolk parents, students and educators, and religious, business and community leaders has reached agreement on a list of 16 character traits that might be taught.
At the top of the list is respect. It also includes responsibility, work ethic, self-discipline and tolerance.
On Monday, the School Board will find out if the plan will fly. Residents can comment during a public hearing at 7 p.m. at Lafayette-Winona Middle School.
``In a democracy you must have a citizenry of high moral values for the democracy to truly work,'' said board member Robert F. Williams, who has pushed the idea and co-chairs the committee. ``Real change in behavior comes about by internal controls, rather than external, and those internal controls are the essence of our character - our values.''
On the battlefields of public education, controversy usually is not far behind the utterance of words like ``character'' and ``values.'' For some parents, the question becomes: Whose values?
But School Board members and educators are convinced there are certain shared community values that no one would object to being taught, traits that cut across religious, social and ethnic lines.
``It's not religion, and it's not my morals or your morals, but values that we all hold,'' said Melanie Yules, principal at Rosemont Middle and a committee member. ``I am not seeing those values being reinforced outside the 7 1/2 hours we have them at school.''
A growing number of school districts nationwide is looking into some form of character education, according to the Alexandria-based Character Education Partnership, a coalition that promotes character education in schools.
The heightened interest is a reaction in part to what many perceive as a breakdown in the family, civic and religious connections that once provided the glue that binds society, and also were the primary sources for passing on community values to children.
In Hampton Roads, Portsmouth also is considering the idea.
``There are some basic character traits that are essential just for living together and surviving as people,'' said Willard Principal Lillian M. Brinkley. ``Like honesty. You just can't get around it.''
While details remain sketchy about how Norfolk's schools would adopt character education, Williams said he does not envision it as a separate curriculum. Teachers likely would work concepts like respect into daily lesson plans, and schools could highlight proper behavior in daily rituals like Willard's morning announcements.
Brinkley said working ideas like perseverance and courage into the classroom is not so difficult: Students studying history, for example, learn how the Jamestown settlers overcame tremendous odds, and teachers discuss ways students can overcome obstacles in their lives.
Velma Bunch, 17, a Norview High junior who sits on the committee, said her school's motto is a spin-off of the Golden Rule: ``Treat others as you wish to be treated.'' The message is posted in every classroom. Velma said character education ``will be very beneficial'' to students.
``These days, we've got a lot of children who are disrespectful - they don't have respect for themselves or anyone else,'' Velma said. ``This should make them better students and probably give them a higher chance of success in the future.''
Erin Harkins, 16, a Lake Taylor junior whose mother sits on the committee, said there are ``a lot of students who have no concept of honesty, and no concept of morals or values. It's not their fault no one taught them, but somebody needs to take the responsibility to teach them.''
Committee member Scott A. Gore, 35, community outreach coordinator for the Christian-based Project Light program, said character ``is a very integral part of what makes our society good or bad.''
``I've seen a lot of their lives ravaged, getting caught up in street life and street values and suffering the consequences,'' Gore said. ``I think this is a community effort of people coming together and being on the same side, instead of in an adversarial role. I think it's going to be the difference between some kids making it and some not.'' ILLUSTRATION: 16 CHARACTER TRAITS
[For a list of the character traits and a definition of character
education, see microfilm on page A2 of THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT for this
date.]
KEYWORDS: EDUCATION NORFOLK SCHOOLS CHARACTER EDUCATION by CNB